Ben Jorgensen - There Is Nowhere Left To Go (EP REVIEW)

Click READ MORE to check out my review of the new Ben Jorgensen EP.

Ben Jorgensen is a talented guy. His songwriting ability has always been above average and Armor For Sleep’s What To Do When You Are Dead was a really good record. Fast forward, a few years and Armor For Sleep has called it quits after one follow-up album to What To Do When You Are Dead titled Smile For Them. It was well received but was never met with the same amount of hysteria that was granted for What To Do When You Are Dead. After Armor For Sleep split fans were torn. Some fans thought it was time, some wanted more Armor, and some were interested to see where the members would go next. Jorgensen being the front man of the group had a lot of anticipation for his next project. So when it was announced that his next project would be titled God Loves A Challenge, would feature a duo between him and female vocalist Sierra Shardae, and would focus on a beat-driven, more industrial vibe, it was safe to say a big majority of people felt kind of let down. Vocally it was not what fans had expected and something was lost in the translation of God Loves A Challenge that did not quite capture the introspective vibe that Armor For Sleep had become known for, whether it was there or not it just did not feel the same to many.

Jorgensen, although still working on God Loves A Challenge, stepped out on his own to give people a new EP titled There Is Nowhere Left To Go. This self-released EP will be a champion to the fans who do not care for God Loves A Challenge as it shows Jorgensen return to a sound people are a little more familiar with. In essence, this EP feels like a stripped down Armor For Sleep. Vocally and lyrically, the release is really nice. I think many fans would have wanted this release after Armor For Sleep announced their disbanding. I for one not knowing what to expect was caught a little off guard, found myself listening to the release quite a bit and thinking Jorgensen was back to what made him such a good songwriter in the first place.

The EP captures some of the same feelings you might hear on Armor For Sleep’s albums. It feels a little isolated and it really showcases what the front man does best and that is the ability to write lyrics that people connect with and perform material that creates an atmosphere. This was one of the things people really enjoyed about What To Do When You Are Dead. The songwriting is nice and the mix and production are done really well. The EP mostly has a soft vibe and there are quite a few acoustic guitars, but the electric guitar shows up, and the use of piano, drums, and other instruments make the EP feel really full.

Overall, after listening to the EP I can honestly say this is a release I will be listening to a lot. It almost doesn’t make me feel bad about the Armor For Sleep disbanding because it shows Jorgensen can step up to the plate and make an entire EP on his own that feels just about as complete as something his old band would have created. Armor For Sleep may not be back this fall, but fans can rest assured that Jorgensen will not let that stop him from making an EP that is super impressive and one he can be proud of putting his name on.